How flexibility and support helped adult learners finish strong
Students atUniversityof Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) often face personal obstacles—work responsibilities, military deployment, family demands, or health challenges—that require perseverance to reach graduation.
For many, finishing a degree is less about a straight academic path than about navigating life as it unfolds. Many say what makes the differenceisa university willing to work alongside them, offering flexibility, understanding faculty, andsuccess coachesfocused on helping students finish what they started.
Sometimes, that support comesatlife’s most intense moments.
Support that makes a difference
Kathleen Benson’s journey to graduation spans decades and continents.She planned to attend college right out of high school, but her father became chronically ill.College had to wait as she worked three jobs to support her family. After her father died, Benson enrolled at Montgomery College in Maryland, where she met her husband, who was originally from Ireland.
When the couple decided to start a family, they wanted to move there, eventually settling near Limerick.
Once again, life intervened. Benson’s first two children experienced serious medical challenges early in life, and while her son has since recovered, her daughterrequiressignificant care and support.
“Una couldn’t sit up and couldn’t walk for the longest time or even chew properly,” said Benson. “All of my time went into just caring for everybody.”
Pregnant with her third child, the family returned to Maryland, and through sheer determination, Benson managed to continue her studies, graduating with anassociate degree from Montgomery College in late 2022.
A web search led Benson to UMGC’sBachelor of Science in Health Services Management, a program that aligned with her desire to help others and with her life experience, which included finding specialists and support networks to provide her daughter with the care she needed. By fall 2023, she had secured the funding—including grants and scholarships—to enroll in the program.
“Lots of my time was spent making sure I’dget everybody what they need during the day, and getting everyone to sleep,” she said. “And then I'd stay up and do my schooling at night and just do the bestI could.”
While completing her coursework, Benson had two more children, the last one born as she was completing her final class.
That’swhen Benson’s success coach, Melodie Alajandro, stepped into a more active role. Alajandro helped Benson manage coursework, communicate with professors, and navigate the two pregnancies whilemaintainingher academic momentum.
“It makes a difference when you find someone that you really click with and you understand each other,” Benson said. “She was just so in my corner straight away, getting a hold of this professor, that professor, doing whatever we needed.”
Benson’s youngest child was due on April 5, after she had planned tosubmither final paper. But the baby had other ideas. On March 18, when it became clear the baby would arrive early, Benson called Alajandro, who made sure everything was in place as Benson completed her coursework before heading to the hospital.
“I really don't know what I would have done without her,” Benson said. “She has been in my corner. She has been my constant.”
Balancing life and learning
As a mother, wife, and full-time professional, KendraAlston’26 said pursuing herMBArequired discipline, sacrifice, strong time management, and financial commitment.
“Completing this journey showed me that setbacks do not define us; perseverance does,” she said. “Earning my MBArepresentsmore than an academic achievement. Itrepresentsstrength, healing, and determination.It’sa milestone that honors not only my hard work, but also the example I want to set for my children.”
Kenia Alvarado’26, who is graduating with aBachelor of Science in Social Science, said “UMGC meets you where you are in life; they work with you.”
After earning two associate degrees, she took 10 years off from school as she built a career working with law firms. While she loved the work, she hit barrier after barrier to advancement because she did not have a bachelor’s degree.
“I essentially fit [in] a full-time school schedule as a part-time student working full-time,” she said. “Thanks to UMGC’s flexible options and partnerships, I was able to graduate before my official projected time.”
Meeting students where they are
Helping her along the way was her success coach, Alexander "Xander" Davidson.
“It was almost like he was God-sent,” she said.
While she had gotten allAsin prior classes, Alvarado was struggling with a course in technical writing. Davidson looked at her transcript andshowed her how she could rearrange courses to ease her workload.
“He offereda PlanB,” she said. “I liked gettingthe perspectivefrom somebody else. He was a great sounding board.He'sjust been a constant presence in my journey with UMGC.He’sa big part of whyit'sgone as smoothly as it has.”
Now Alvarado is looking to go to law school.Her view:Why work for lawyers when you can be one?
Miranda Luisiana GarciaTorres ’26 thought she would never be able to afford a degree. But she worked with UMGC to get a Completion Scholarship and federal Pell Grants to pay her tuition expenses, andearnedaBachelor of Arts in Communication Studiesthis spring.
ճCompletion Scholarshipoffers eligible Maryland community college graduates the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree for $12,000 or less—well below the typical cost for in-state students.
“Applying for graduation brought tears to my eyes,” she said. “Do it. Take the risk. Let yourself be challenged.”
Kendra Alston '26 Master of Business Administration
Read more spring 2026 graduate stories about military spouses, career transformation, military servicemembers and veterans, and the community graduates found at t ɫֱȫ.